Web-based calculators aid position-transducer use

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team Jun 5, 2001

A set of easy-to-use, free, web-based calculators is now available at SpaceAge Control's website.

A set of easy-to-use, free, web-based calculators is now available at SpaceAge Control's website.

The calculators allow engineers, technicians, and researchers to see how changes in acceleration, temperature and gravity affect position transducer performance.

The calculators can also be used by physics, maths and engineering teachers and students as practical tools to demonstrate the effects of changing physical conditions.

Three calculators are now offered.

Using the Sinusoidal Motion Calculator (www.spaceagecontrol.com/calcsinm.htm) users can translate between the variables of displacement, velocity, frequency and acceleration for sinusoidal motion.

Knowing any two of the four variables allows for the calculation of any of the remaining two variables.

The calculator is also useful in determining the frequency response of SpaceAge Control's position transducers.

The Thermal Effect Calculator (www.spaceagecontrol.com/calctemp.htm) shows the effects of changes in temperature on the length of the material.

Knowing the material length, material coefficient of thermal expansion, and change in temperature, the calculator determines the change in length.

The calculator is also useful in showing the generally negligible effect of temperature changes on SpaceAge Control cable-actuated position transducers.

A catenary curve describes the shape a cable takes when subjected to a uniform force such as gravity.

The Cable Sag Calculator (www.spaceagecontrol.com/calccabl.htm) gives the length of the cable and the amount of cable sag based on the straight-line distance, the force of gravity, the cable tension, and the cable unit mass.

The calculator is also useful in showing the generally negligible effect of cable sag error on SpaceAge Control cable-actuated position transducers.

All calculators offer a choice between Imperial and SI units.

The calculators were developed using the PHP scripting language, providing low overhead and fast performance.

Source code is available on request.